Erdogan Blasts Media, Opposition for Downed Jet Coverage
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's relation with some newspapers and journalists appears not to be good especially with those who disagree with him.
In the past days, it was revealed that Erdogan's advisor intervened directly to prevent four of the top Turkish journalists from an already scheduled interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.
On the recent developments between Erdogan and the international media, the Turkish PM launched an unprecedented verbal attack on the US famous daily "Wall Street Journal".
Erdogan's attack came after the paper mentioned that senior US officials unveiled that "the Turkish military aircraft was downed in Syrian airspace by Syrian anti-aircraft gunners."
It is worth mentioning that the US newspaper revelations confirms what was initially declared by Damascus. It also raises a lot of doubts on Ankara's statements, which claim that the aircraft was hit in its airspace.
During a press conference for his "Justice and Development" party, Erdogan accused the paper of "lying and cowardliness by concealing the origin of their stories."
"Who are the paper's sources?" Erdogan asked as he called the daily to uncover its sources and the side it stands by.
Meanwhile, Erdogan also criticized the local media for admitting and adopting the Wall St. Journal story as the true, declining the reports from Turkish authorities.
Moreover, he didn't exclude the Turkish opposition parties from his anger and criticism.
In this context, Erdogan accused Kamal Kchdar Ihsan Oglu, the head of the
Republican People's Party i.e. the largest opposition party in Parliament, of having the same rhetoric as the Syrian Baath Party.
This came after Oglu rejected any military action against Syria.
"The foreign policy adopted by the "Justice and Development" ruling government is based on intervening in the internal affairs of other countries," he stressed.
The Turkish opposition leader stated that "by this policy Turkey turned to be a tool of implementing others agenda."
"This resulted in the current crisis taking place in Turkey," he concluded.
Source: Al-Intiqad, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
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